​"The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and the cause and prevention of disease."___ Thomas A. Edison

It struck me when I made a recent trip to our local Costco. Lined up on my left where normally all the new and hot items were pallets and pallets of supplements that took up the entire wall leading into the store. I have never noticed that entire area devoted to just one type of product and that underscores the public infatuation with getting well with a“pill” rather than the way nature intended.

The entire global dietary supplements market is estimated to be $133 Billion … with a capital B! Recent research has continually debunked the ability of these supplements to deliver on their many claims, sometimes even on their ability to deliver their disclosed content to the body. The reasons are many, but the underlying idea is that when nature produces doses of vitamins and minerals, the body can easily absorb through consuming natural foods and bio-available nutrition.

One other real problem in this space is the lack of regulation and testing. The Food and Drug Administration doesn’t review dietary supplements for their safety or effectiveness. The purported health benefits and claims no matter how tantalizing and seemingly full of science backed evidence is also unregulated and often times unreliable.

“Let food by thy medicine” was great advice with historic roots that has proven over time to be the best advice to navigate these tantalizing claims. Eat a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, move more, and bring wellness back into your life. ​